The Lion Guard: Stranded together
by AlNerdTrueFan
Summary: Kion and Rani find themselves stranded or in the worse case scenario lost. It will take the two of them to find their way out of this...assuming they can band together as two leaders do. Set sometime in the third season. A here and there one shot take on these two.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: **This will be my first foray into the lion guard. So hopefully this all goes well. This will be a one shot lest there is demand for further or if other stories are sought. My main goal is romance and for this I decided to separate Kion and Rani from the rest placing them in a situation most do…lost and no idea where they are. I feel it helps in terms of character development but also strengthening the bond of the characters in play. I realize Kion is paired with some characters but felt for my first one seeing how the series is already into its run why not Rani. Set sometime in season 3.

The Lion Guard: Stranded together

Kion listened to the rumble of thunder overhead as he made his way through the rough terrain of the jungle. It was just a routine mission along with Rani, a friend of his, huh…well…it was complicated. Truth was developing between the two it almost felt closer to something more meaningful but for whatever reason stating those feelings often led to a tongueful and it felt like his entire face was on fire.

Kion was in charge of the Lion Guard and thus his main duties had been to that of the Pridelands, sometimes going outside of it to protect those in need. However due to some incidents it had left him badly scarred and he was out here with his friends looking to heal, take some time to reevaluate certain things.

Rani was not exactly who he was planning to meet but somehow she made his heart leap with joy when they were together…and when apart he desperately longed to see her again. And so this mission came to be…but…it quickly led to them out here…lost.

"I am telling you that is the same tree you passed a minute ago," Rani was the leader of the Night Pride and of course he was the leader of the Lion Guard.

"No, I am pretty sure this is not that tree. I swear it. Now come on the longer we are out here the more we'll have everyone worrying about us." Kion was not about to be told that this was the same tree from a minute ago.

"Are you always this stubborn? Fine, be my guest…but just to save time, I told you so." Rani happened to be sitting on a rock looking down at him.

"You won't have to…cause I am getting us out of here." He could do this. True it wasn't like he had help from above or the rest of his friends to rally behind, but, how hard could it be?

Kion proceeded past the tree and was determined that no matter what he not look like a fool, well, not too much that is. He pushed on feeling positive that tree was behind him and it was only as he made the turn that he found himself staring at that same exact tree.

"Hi, I'm Rani, you look awfully familiar…have we met?" Rani's cool voice reaches him and he sits on his haunches.

"Let me guess…you know the right way?" Kion had not known her long but even when she was smug she looked simply beautiful to him. Her radiance making such a situation like this almost unbearable as he should be mad or giving her lip; but, he wouldn't…he'd never.

"I wouldn't go that far, but, let me see if I can get us past this bothersome tree." Rani leaps down and her tail runs along his face as she passes him.

"You are too kind." Kion lets out a laugh as he goes to follow her. The rumbling did not cease any and soon the rain starts to fall through the canopy of trees. At this point they are running looking for any shelter that might hold them.

"We won't be able to get anywhere if we can't see what is front of us. We'll seek out shelter for the night and hope the rain goes away tomorrow." Kion didn't disagree any and soon they were hunkered in some cave.

"Um…Rani, sorry about earlier…I really did think I knew where I was going. I know it wasn't called for, but, thanks for-."

"Listen Kion, we are both leaders…so that means we have to act like it. Still…given the situation and how long we have been out here, all is forgiven." Lightning sounded and Kion found Rani nestled up against him. The closeness causing the two to blush but somehow he feels protective of her. His paw reaching behind her keeping her close to him; she does not pull away.

"We might need to stick together…you know for the night, cause it might get cold." Kion saw her raise a brow some and he coughed.

"Very well…but…only for the night. I mean what if somebody saw, could give the wrong idea." Rani eyes him some before she finally closes her eyes. "Night Kion."

Kion smiles softly and finds himself also falling to sleep. The wetness of his fur and the fact that the rain was relentless just made it soothing to hear and nothing to fear so long as they were dry. Kion would do anything for her.

* * *

The following morning the rain was just a mere sprinkle. What sunlight was out added some warmth and as Kion stirred he found himself next to Rani. Smiling at her some he nudges her with his nose and she gets up with a start.

"I never knew you were so jumpy in the morning," Kion remarked which caused Rani to clear her throat.

"Yes…well…the weather has eased up some so we should get going." Rani left the cave first and Kion simply followed.

"Are you really so insecure about what happened? I thought you looked…" He noticed her staring back at him and he felt it was his turn to clear his throat. "Well…I mean it is really just a thought, nothing really important."

Rani continued on for a bit avoiding puddles and leaping about and it was only as they made a good amount of progress that she stopped. "Kion I feel the more time we spend together…the more of myself is showing. It won't be long before I am Queen and when I am…look, I don't want things to get…complicated between us."

Kion felt his heart sink at this but there was also the fact he was only here till he got better than he would be heading back to the Pride Lands. The Tree of Life was fine and all but it wasn't home. It just irked him to no end he would not be with her. Did she feel the same way? Kion heard a roaring up ahead and as they scrambled forward they found a huge water that blocked their way from the other side.

They had come here but wound up lost…now here they were facing yet another obstacle. Kion however could not let this perturb him in the least. "Do you trust me?"

"Do I have to answer that now?" Kion waited till she took his paw. Together they bounded across the raging water on logs he had seen before. It was a bit choppy the water and he wasn't certain the two would make it…but…once across it all seemed to make sense.

"You know, you and I…we make a pretty good team. I know we come from two different places but perhaps-."

"Quit your talking, look, you might be cute but that doesn't mean you start the speech about us when there is still so much we don't know about each other. Can we please just continue?"

Kion watches her take the lead again but it is hard letting the silence go. "You know I think the only thing I heard was you thought I was cute."

Rani shakes her head some but soon they hear a call of distress. Both immediately put aside talks of feelings as they rush forth.

* * *

It takes a bit but they soon find a possum and her babies surrounded by wild snakes hissing away at them. The family was surrounded as the snakes began to slither along the ground.

"This looks bad. We should charge in…I can…" Kion wasn't sure about using the roar at the moment as he was still healing.

"I think it is important in this situation to do it with a bit of diligence, patience to ensure the family remain unharmed. Rushing in will only set the snakes upon them and while I can see where you are coming from…there is a time and place for such moves."

Kion held back his tongue knowing she was right. In the Pride Lands and with his friends such a situation would be dispersed. "So…what do we do?" Kion tensed noting how scared the babies were.

"How is your acting?" Kion tilted his head to the side not sure if he is going to like this idea or not.

* * *

Kion was not liking this idea a whole lot. He feigned injury and to make matters worse he had to actually be injured. Rani had bit his shoulder just enough for the scent of his pain to waft out to the snakes. Sure enough the snakes were beginning to alter course as nothing suited their needs more than an injured animal.

"I sure hope you know what you are doing…" Kion saw the horde of snakes or whatever a pack of slithering mass of death looked like. He had already been scarred by one and that is why he was here to begin with.

Rani for her part manages to slip in and helps the family of possum out of sight. The snakes for their part continue to hunt him down. Rani nods her head and he begins to scamper to the water. The snakes appear to let out a hiss of annoyance at their prey at being deceived. They coil along the ground snapping at the back of his paws.

Kion spots the logs and immediately jumps across. The snakes go after him but Rani is there with a branch between her teeth knocking them away. The snakes seem to reconsider before going back, those in the water could not fight the rapids as they are carried off.

Kion lands on the other side with Rani and for a moment they are staring into the other's eyes. "How did you know that was going to work?"

Rani shrugs. "I've dealt with their kind before with the Night Pride, they thrive on those who are injured. You handled yourself well amongst all of them, um, sorry about the bite…"

"Nah it is fine…a small memento from our time together. Anyway we should probably work on finding our way out of here. Still…should anyone else need help this time you will be the one acting."

"Well…only if you catch me first." Rani winked at him before racing off. Kion lets out a laugh following suit. It might have started out with them lost but he was finding it hard to deny his feelings for her, he just hoped when the time came he would stop feeling the way he did…well…maybe.

**Authors note: **I hope you all enjoyed. As I mentioned there is room to make further adventures but there is also room to make other stories either with Kion and Rani or someone else you have in mind for Kion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note: **Given the attention and such to this I figured I would give it another shot or rather add onto it. So given how it is Kion and Rani stranded together why not pick it up from when Rani is now Queen and of course Kion is still…well…with the Lion Guard. This time a different setting.

Rani could not believe her luck of once again being stranded. She was the Queen of the Tree of Life after her Grandmother passed away and there was so much more responsibility on her now. That being said…it didn't excuse winding up in a situation she had before. The chill of the mountain making her shiver down to her bones and her head was bowed against the powerful winds.

"I know how this might seem…but…trust me, we are not lost." Rani of course is speaking to Kion. He was the leader of the Lion Guard and since the two met it seemed to be one incident after the next. She didn't know what to make of him at first and now she found herself leaning on him more. These feelings surfacing, bubbling…not going away…it made her congested.

"Are you sure about that? Cause…given how I can't feel my paws and my nose is itchy, kind of feels that way to me." Kion was trailing behind her and she knew she couldn't let up or give in to doubt now because if she did it would only keep them from getting to shelter.

Truth was it had started out like any other mission, but…sometimes it was hard to tell where the wind would below or what sort of weather they would face.

"We are not lost, we are not stranded…I am the Queen and I know which way we are going. So would you quit your whining, please?" Rani was attempting to play it cool but in this sort of weather her cool just wasn't enough.

"Whoa, chill down Queen…um…that came out wrong, what I mean to say is…perhaps it is better if we maybe look to going back the way we came-."

"I am not about to turn around now Kion, look, you are simply leader of the Lion Guard, you do not carry the weight of anything that counts for much like I do. The strain, the weight…I have to meet up with this fellow leader, we need supplies and he is the only one we can rely on."

Rani hated how her tone came out but right now Kion just wasn't taking this seriously. Him and that deep voice, those dangerously debonair eyes…the way he made her feel…it was almost too much for her to bear at times.

"Hey, I've been through quite a lot being leader of the Lion Guard! I know you are under a lot of stress but don't go taking it out on me…besides we are in this together-."

"Together, us, ha…don't make me laugh. The only thing about this with us being together is that we happen to be on this mission…together. It isn't like I think of you like that in the least." Rani shivered even more as the temperature was starting to drop lower.

"You know, all I have been doing is taking your lip, well, not going to happen any longer. I am heading back." Rani let out a gasp and looked back at him. Growling she raced at the fellow leader and did a flying tackle.

"Who said you could leave?" The two of them began to tumble down the mountainside as they attempted to pin the other.

"Why are you so difficult?" The two of them were in it for the long haul. Their time together stranded apparently lost on them as they found things strained. Once the two of them land Rani has him pinned under her as she gazes down into those eyes of his. The scar from his travels still with him and each of them trying to catch their breath.

"I am Queen…I cannot let myself become emotionally involved with…with…" Rani leaned down but Kion was the one to move aside as he pointed.

"There is a cave over there…we should be able to wait out this storm or whatever it is." Kion led the way and Rani huffed where she lay.

"Fine, a cave…we are saved." Rani shook off her feelings not really sure even what to make of them herself. Did she feel something for Kion and if so could she as Queen be able to afford to go ahead with it? True her Grandmother did not have a King as she ruled alone but sometimes that support sort of came in handy. Rani followed Kion into the cave and noticed it went pretty far back.

"I think we should…cuddle…er…snuggle…no…" Kion appeared to be thinking hard on just what to say and Rani let out a laugh.

"I believe I know what you are saying but are you sure you want to be doing that with me? I mean after all I have said…" Rani wasn't sure she was the best company to be huddled up with after all the amount of climbing they had done and how she got onto his case.

"Rani, er, Queen…nothing has to come of this. I just figure we might as well keep each other warm and see this through. Tomorrow we can either continue on to the meeting point or head back down. I am still a guest in the Tree of Life so I should be more understanding and work with you instead of make your life harder."

Rani smiles some appreciating what he said. Proceeding over to where he lay she was reminded of their time in the in that torrent of rain. They were on better terms back then…perhaps because she had yet to find out about her grandmother and the expectations lay out before her. Resting against him she attempts to enjoy this.

"Thank you for being here with me Kion. I don't think I could see myself being here with anyone but you." She felt her lids grow heavy and soon she drifted off.

* * *

The following morning the two had woken up and set off up the mountain once again. However given their need for food and the fact they were in unfamiliar territory the duo decided to head back down the mountain. Perhaps it was the weather easing up or the fact they were enjoying one another's company compared to the other day…Rani knew for a fact that she was seeing Kion as something more than a friend.

"Kion…when we get a chance, well, perhaps it is time we have discuss your future here." She of course meant the Tree of Life as she was walking side by side with him.

"A future, huh, well…truth be told I never thought about it much. I mean if you want to talk I suppose we can." Rani could feel some hesitancy in his voice and she didn't hold it against him given where he had come from…and…why he had come here to begin with.

"Race you down the mountain!" Rani gave a whoop as she began to race down. Kion of course wasn't that far behind her. The future left her scared and the thought of ruling alone terrified her. Kion was someone she found dependable and though they did butt heads there was something real about it, something truly remarkable and she wanted to see where it went.

"You are not going to win this time!" Kion calls after her. Rani moves with a zig zag formation while Kion uses rocks to leap forth into the air and come down.

"You remember, good, because that makes this easier." Rani would feel sad when Kion left but she could not force him to stay. However here was not the time nor the place to have such a conversation. No…perhaps when they were warmed up and settled down from all of this could they look to the future no matter what partaked. The two of them had been stranded up on a mountain but a bit of sleep and reflecting and they were heading back the way they came. Rani knew deep in her heart what she felt for Kion…and maybe he felt something too…regardless one did not force matters of the heart on the other, and, she would shield her feelings till she was certain he felt the same.


End file.
